Washing machine



March 3-1. 1925.

G. c. GRAHAM wAsH1NG-MAcHINE Filed Oct. 20. 1924 \nvenTor George C. Graham byw MM Patented Mar. L1925. l' l UNITED STATES..

PATENT oFFxcr..

sacada c. or -wamrowm MASSACHUSETTS. WASHING MACHINE.

Application meaoqtober 20,1924. serial No. 744,562.

y To all whom. it may eofrtcern.:v

Beit known that I, GEORGE C. GRAHAM., a citizen of' the United States, and resident of Watertown, county ofl Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Washing Machines, of which lthe following description, .in eonnection with the accompanymg drawing, 1s a speci-` lication, like characters on thedrawing representing like parts. v

.This `invention relates to washing machines of that type which com rise an expansi-b-le and contractible cham rr adapted to contain the clothes to be washed and communicating with av receptacle containing washing fluid, and means to alternately eX- pand and contractI said chamber whereby during the expanding movement of theV fluid will be drawnchamber the cleansin thereinto and the clot les will become satu-l rated'v therewith while during t-he contracting movement of said chamber the cleansing fluid will be squeezed out ofthe clothes and forced back into the receptacle again.

ln performing the washing operation with a machine/of this type it is sufficient-- if during the lcontracting movement of the chamber the clothes be subjected toa modcrate pressure only. In a machine in which the clothes-receiving chamber has a fixed volume when it is fully expanded,` the amount which it is necessary to contract the' chamber in order to develop this moderate pressure for squeezing the suds or washing fluid out of the clothes will depend upon the amount of clothes in t-he chamber. If the chamber is well filled with clothes then a relatively small contracting movement will answer the purpose vwhereas if there isv a small amount of clothes in the chamber theil a greater contracting movement will be necesary t0 squeeze the washing fluid out of theclothes.

One of the objects lof my invention is to provide awashing machine which is -constructed so that the pro r' ressure will be established automatieall; dlfujing the contracting movement of the chamber regardless of the amount of the clothes therein. In

other` words, one object of my invention is to provide a novel washing' machine in which the contracting movement of the chamber will be automatically. terminated as soon as tlir required pressure is reached.

' Some washing machines of this type. are also constructed so that the clothes-receivvcondition, this bein ing chamber can befcontracted under a high pressure sufficient to compress or squeeze substantially all of the cleansing fluid from the clothes and bring them to a. simi-dried the e uivalent .to wringing the clothes 1n the' or ary washing operation. .y

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel construction whereby the machine may be adjusted to operate under either the moderate pressure required for washing or the higher pressure desirable for drying the 'clothes and whereby the desired pressure, whether high or low, will be automatically established regardless' of the amount of clothes in the clothes-receiving` In order to give an understanding ofthe invention I have illustrated inthe drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will.

now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims. l Y

yl3`ig. l is a sectional view illustrating a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is' an enlarged sectional view through the by-pass relief valve;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a different embodiment of -the invention.

The expansible' and contractible clothes' receiving chamber in which the clothes are' received is located within a. shell 1 which is herein shown as divided to form the two sections 2 and 3. I shell is a flexible diaphragm 4 which forms with the shell section 2 the clothes-receiving compartment 5 in which the clothes 6 to be washed are placed. Said diaphragm 4 also forms with the shell section 3 a chamber 7 which will be hereinafter again referred to..

The clothes-receiving compartment 5 has communicating therewith a pipe connection 8 which leads to a tank 9 adapted to'contain suds or other washing water or cleansing fluid. The communication between the pipe 8 and the clothes-receivin chamber A5 is through an intermediatecamber 10 Extending across the ma f llo

which is formed within a'hood member 11 v chamber is expanded, therefore, the cleans- `als 'ber through the ing fluid will be drawn into said champipe `1), chamber 11a'nd perforations 12. v

As stated above the sections 2 and 3 of the casing are separable to permit the.v

clothes 6 to be placed, in'v the chamber 5 or removed therefrom and the sections may be clamped together in any suitable way as by means of clam 13. It is necessary to maintain a tig t joint at the division line between the sections 2 and 3 and this is herein accomplished by clamping the 'peripheral edge of the diaphragm 4 to a flange 14 formed on the shell section 3 by means of a clamping ring 1-5 and by providin the shell section 2 with a flange 16 which is clamped against the ring 15 .by the clamps 13, a suitable gasket ring being interposed between the flange 16' and clamping ring 15 to make a tight joint..

This construction provides a clothes-receivin chamber 5 having one fixed wall forme by the -shell section 2 and a movable wall formed by' the diaphragm 4 and' the ex ansion and contraction of the chamber 5 1s secured by moving the diaphragm 4 up and down. This movement of the diaphragm may be obtained in various ways without departingfrom my invention.

The construction herein .s hown for this purpose is a pump comprising a cylinder 17 having a piston 18 operating therein and one end of which is connected to the chamber 7 'by means of a pipe connection 19. The chamber 7, pipe connection and cylinder are filled with lwater or some other relatively non-compressible fluid so that when the piston 18 moves downwardly the fluid will be forced into the chamber 7 thus moving the diaphragm 4 up and contracting the clothes-receiving chamber 5- while when the iston 18 moves upwardly water will bewithdrawn from the chamber 7 into the cylinder 17 and the diaphragm 4 will be moved downwardly thus expanding the clothes-receiving chamber 5.-

The piston 18 is shown as reciprlocated by means of a crank disk 20 which isv rotated from a motor 21 vthrough suitable re' duction gear indicated generally at 22. .This means vof expanding and contracting the lclothes-receiving .chamber yis substantially the sameas that shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 743,306, filed October 13th, 1924.

. As stated above in performing the washing .operation it is suflicient if at each down stroke of the piston 18I the diaphragm 4 is moved upwardly to such a point as to place the clothes under moderate pressure. The exact point at which this occurs will, of course, depend upon the amount of clothes`6 in the chamber 5. AIf the chamber is -well filled with 'clothes then a relatively small upward movement of the diaphragm 4 will develop the required pressure while if .there arel only a few clothes in the chamber a Greater upwardmovement will be required 'or this pur ose.

My present invention provi es automatic means for terminating the upward movement of the diaphragm 4 when. the desired pressure is reached regardless of the amount of clothes in the chamber. This is accomplished by employing a by-pass 'with a relief valve arrangedto open when the desired pressure has been reached so that ring the water to the system again during the up-stroke of the piston so as-to maintain the cylinder 7 and the pipe connections full of water. l

The drawings show a ysir'npleconstruction which accomplishes this result.

23 indicates an auxiliary tank' divided by a partition 24 into two compartments 25 and 26.' The compartment 25 is connected to the p1 e 19 bya by-p-ass pipe connection 27. aid partition has therein a springpressed relief .valve 28 which opens upwardly and also a spring-actuated inlet valve 29 which opens downwardly. The valve 28 is acted on by a spring 30 which will hold the valve shut until a predetermined pressure has been' reached.

It will be noted that because of the connections illustrated the pressure in the chamclothes-receiving chamber the clothes will be subjected to an increasing pressure and whenv this pressure reaches a predetermined point vthe valve 28V will open against theaction of the spring 30 thereby allowing the water or other fluid to flow through the by-pass connection into the auxiliary tank 26. This opening ofthe valve 28 will thus limit the pressure t0 .Whichthe wall 4 is 'subjected and will thuslimit the upward movement of the wall and the consequent contracting movement of the clothes-receiving chamber. `The spring 30 will be so adjusted as to limit the contracting movement of the clothesreceiving chamber when theproper pressure has been reached for the 'washing operation.

During the reverse action ofthe pump the water will bc drawn out of the chamber 7 warm 26 into the chamberv 25 and thence into the system.

The exactpoint at which the relief valve 28 will open during the down stroke of the piston 18 will, of course, be dependent on the amount of clothes in the chamber. .If

the chamber is well filled with clothesthe required pressure will be reached at anearlier point in the down stroke of the piston 18 than if the chamber is only partially filled with clothesy but in either event the relief valve 30 automatically takes care of the matter so that under all conditions only the re uired pressure against the diaphragm 4 will e developed durmg each down stroke of the piston.

A machine of this type is adapted to bring the clothes `to a senil-dried condition by subjecting the diaphragm 4 to a relatively high pressure which vwillresult in s ueezing the clothes under its high pressure etween the diaphragm and the fixed casing 2.

I have provided herein means wherebyy when the clothes are to be dried the relief valve may be held to its seatunder av relatively high pressure. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 this is accomplished by providing asecond spring 31 for acting on the valve 28 which is much heavier than the spring 30 and by providing means whereby said spring 31 may be, rendered operative or inoperative.

32 indicates a follower which is slidably mounted on the valve stem 33 and which forms a backing for the springs. This follower is connected by links 34 to a lever 35 which is pivoted at 36 and is adapted to be moved up and down.

'The spring 31 is of such dimensions that A,

when the lever is in its raised position shown in Fig. 1 the follower will be separated from said spring as-shown in Fi 2. The spring 30, however, ,has such' imensions thatl it engags the follower at all times and, therefore, w en the lever is raised as shown in Figs.v 1 and 2 theheavy spring 31 lis inactive and the valve28 is held to' its seat by the lighter sprin 30 only. If,"however, the lever is move downwardly into the dotted line-position so as -to bring the followerfa ainst thespring 31 as shown by dotted llnes Fig, 2 then said heavy spring comes into action and will resist the opening movement of the valve 28. Therefore, when thelever is swung llownwardly to bring the hea spring 31 into action the `relief valve'wil not ube opened until suflicient pressure has been developed in the I lits raised or lowered position by means of al clamping screw 37 operating in a slot in a bracket arm 38.

washing the clothes consists simply in placing the clothes in the chamber 5 and raising the lever 35 to the full line position Fig.

1 so as to leave the heavy springv31 inactive.

With this construction the operation of When the machine is started in operation f the washing action will be 'performed as above described and at each down stroke of the piston the relief valve 28 Will open whent e pressure against the diaphragm reaches the predetermined point which is suitable for the washing operation and during any furtherdownward movement of the piston 18 the surplus water will be forced through the relief valve into the chamber 26. The volume of the cylinder 17 will preferably have such a relation to the size of the casing 1 ythat at each down stroke of the piston 18 the required pressure against the diaphragm 4 will be developed before the pis- `ton reaches the lower end of its stroke so that vthe relief valve will be o ened and some water will be forced into t e .chamber 27 while during the final end of the upstroke of the piston 18 the suction valve' 29 will be opened to allow water to return to the system.,

When the washing operation has been completed and it is desired-to -bring the clothes to a semi-dried condition, the-lever 35l will 'be moved downwardly into the dotted line position thus bringing the heavy spring 31 into action. When the parts are so adjusted then during vthe downward movement of. the piston 18 the pressure lwhich is developed against the diaphragm 4 will be determined by the action `of the heavy spring 31 which may be such as to bring the clothes to a semi-dried condition.

Theoperaltion of the relief valve, therefore, results in subjecting the clothes to the same pressure during the washing operation and also tothe desired pressure during the drying operationregardless of the amount of clothes in the chamber.

In. Figs. 1 and 2 a/construction is shown` where both the high pressure and the 'low' pressure are secured/from the operation of the same relief valve by the use of two differents rings. In'Fig. 3 another construction is s own which involves the use of two relief valves 39 and 40, one of which, the V valve 39, .is controlled by a relatively light spring 41, and the other of which, the valve 40, is controlled by a relatively heavyv springY 's ring, 'l will normally function and this is t e valvewhich operates during the washing of the clothes. For bringing .the clothes to a semi-dried l condition the valve 39 -is locked to its seat and- 'then the only relief valve which is i lever is moved into the dotted line position lg3uring thewashing'operation the lever will be held in its inoperative position in full lines and the relief valve 39 will function.r -When .thewashing is completed and properly it is, of course, necessany that no it is desired to bring the clothes to the semi-v dried condition the lever 43 is placed in the dotted line position thus'locking the valve 39 toits seat and when this condition obtains the diaphragm 4 will, during the down stroke of the `piston 18 be subjected to rela-4 tively high pressure which is determined. .by the stren h of the spring 42 controlling the relief va ve 40.

vThe lever 43 may beheld in either of its positions. by means of a. locking -pin 47 adapted `to enter apertures in a bracket arm48. .j v

In order thatl the machine may .;.operate air should Abe trapped in the chamber 7. Said chamber has connected .to it vat its upper end a pipe 49 which is controlled by avalve 50 and'which leads into the receptacle 26. lIn startin the machinethe valve 51 will be opened uring the rst -part of the down stroke of the piston 18 and as the piston descends an airin the chamber 7 will be driven out t rough thepipe 49.

As soon as the air has all Vescaped the valve 50 will 'be closed and will remain closed In ractice may-be desirable to a "cylin er and piston which atfeach` stroke occupied by the clothes being washed so thatgthe amount of water to be displaced in carrying the diaphragm 4 from its lowest y point tothe point required to subject the 4clothes to pressure is considerably less than the total volume of the casing 1.

f Where` this relation vbetweenthe size of the cylinder and the size of the casing 1 exists it will be necessary to use a larger volume of water betweenthe piston 18 and thedia 'hragm. 4 when a small'amount of clothes 1s being washed than. when a larger amount is being wa-shed. I f,` for instancel tion with an expansible and' contractible.

vunder the desired duringl further operation of the machine. f

Haenen the chamber 5 is well filled 'with clothes i of water between the pistonv 18 and the -diaphragm 4 that vwhen Kthe istonl reaches the lower end of its` stroke t e 'diaphragm will be raised to a point tov placefthe clothes f pressure. If, however, only one or two pieces arebeing washed lthen it will be necessary to raise vthe dia-A phragm 4 further in order to develop the required pressure. This can be done by then it .will be sulicient to use a less volume r l introducing a .larger volumeof waterbe- I tween the piston 18 and the diaphragm and ysuch introduction of the larger amount of .water may be made by simply opening the suction valve 29 While the piston 18 is moving u wardly so that water will flow from the-c amber 26 intothe s stem. 'When' this larger volumel of water 1s thus introducedl between the piston 18 and the diavpiston the diaphragm will be raised to a greater extent depending uploufthe amountof water added to the system andi during the upstroke' of the piston the diaphragm will be moved only part way to the .bottom of the casing. By thus ope valve 294 during the upstro e` of the piston 18 the volume of the water between thel phragm then during the down stroke of the ning the inlet vway of operating per limit of its movement and then to maintain the inlet valve opened while the piston moves upwardly soas to completely .lill the system with water. Then when the piston moves iownwardly again 'the relief valvel .will o en when the desired pressure is reache thus discharging the surplus water back into the tank .26.

The inlet valve 29 may be opened in various ways for the above-described purpose.

One sim le device is to employ a push pin or tickler 55 which is so situated that by depressing tlie latter the inlet valve will1ben forced from its seat and thus opened.

If it is desired to rinse the clothes and blue them as well as wash them I propose to em-l ploy additional tanks o-r receptacles 51 and 52,' one to contain rinsing water and the other `to contain blueing water and then't'o shift the pipe connection 8 from one tank to another to 4While I have'illustrated herein some se- Perform the rinsing and blueing operations. l Y,

wish to be limited to the constructionalfealected embodiments'of'my invention Ido not .1?'5

chamber adapted to receive the clothes to be Washed, a receptacle containing washing fluid with .which said chamber communicates, means to alternately expand and contract said chamber whereby during the expansion of said chamber the washing fluid is drawn into the chamber and the clothes become saturated thereby and during the contraction of the chamber the washing water is squeezed fromthe clothes and returned.to,

the receptacle, and means for automatically limiting the contracting movement of the chamber when the clothes are subjected to a predetermined pressure.

2. In a washing machine, the combination with an expansible and contractible chamber adapted to receive the clothes tol be washed, a receptacle containing 'washing fluid with which said chamber communicates, means to alternately expand and contract said chamber whereby during the expansion of said chamber the Washing fluid is drawn into the chamber and the clothes be-' come saturated thereby and during the contraction of 'the chamber the Washing water is squeezed from the clothes and returned to the receptacle, means for automatically limiting the contracting movement of the chamber when the clothes 'are subjected to a predetermined pressure, and means whereby such predetermined pressure may be varied.

3. In a washing machine, the combination with an expansible and contractible clothesreceiving chamber having a removable wall, of a receptacle containing cleansing fluid with which the chamber communicates, means to move said movable Wall away from and toward the fixed wall thereby to alternately expand the clothes-receiving chamber and draw washing Huid therein and to contract said chamber and to force the Washing fluid therefrom, and means automatical-A ly to limit the movement of the movable wall when a predetermined pressure has been reached.

4. In a Washin machine, the combination with an expansible and contractible clothesreceiving chamber having a movable wall, of

a receptacle containing washing water with which said chamber communicates, a chamber filled with fluid, onel side of which is formed by said movable Wall, meansalteruately to withdraw fluid'from said chamber and then to force it into the chamber under' pressure, whereby the movable wall is moved to ex and and contract the clothes-receiving cham er and means automatically to prevent the development of excessive pressure in' said chamber. l

5. In a washing machine the combination with a casing, of armovable diaphragm extending across the casing and formn with one wall thereof an expansible an contractible clothes-receivin chamber, a receptable containing was 'mg' Water4 with 'ton therein connectedfwith the other chamber, said chamber and cylinder vbeing filled vwith water, means for operating the piston., whereby the clothes-receiving chamberl is alternately ex anded and contracted, and a sprng--presse relief valve for relieving any v excessive pressure developed in said other chamber during the .pressure stroke of the piston.

7. In a washing machine, the combination with a casing having amoyable diaphragm extending thereacrossjand dividin it into two chambers, one of which is 'a c othes-receiving chamber, o f a receptacle containing cleansing fluid connected with said clothesreceiving chamber, a cylinder having a` piston therein connected with the other chamber, saidchamber and cylinder being filled with water, means for4 operating the. iston,

' whereby the clothesx-receiving-n cham er" is alternately expanded and contracted, an auxiliary tank, a'by-pass connecting said tank with the other chamber, a suction valve and arelief valve in said by-pass connection, whereby when during the contraction of the clothes-receiving chamber the clothes are subjected to a predetermined pressure the relief valve will open and the water will lbe forced by the piston through the b -pass and relief valve to the auxihary tan: and during the suction stroke of the piston' water will be drawn back into the system through the suction valve. A 1

8. In a washing machine, the combination with a casing having a movable diaphragm extending thereacross and dividing it into two chambers, one of which is a clothes-receiving chamber,A of a receptacle containing cleansing fluid connected with saidclothes-receiving chamber, a cylinder having a piston therein connected with the other chamber, said chamber and cylinder. being filled with water, means for operatin the piston, whereby the clothes-receiving c amber is alternatel expanded and contracted,

tank to said other chamber, a suction valve and a relief valve in said by-pass, whereby when-during the contraction of the clothesreceiving chamber the clothes are subjected van auxiliary tan a by-pass connecting said' to a predetermined pressure the relief valve will open and the water will be forced by y the piston through the b -pass and relief valve to the auxiliary tan and durin fthe suction stroke of the piston water wi l' be drawn back into the system through the suction valve, and means whereby the relief, `valve may be adjusted to open vunder either latter into two chambers, one of which is a l# clothes-receivingr chamber, a cylinder connected the other chamber, a iston oper- 'i atingl in the cylinder, the space etween the piston and the diaphragm being filled with water, whereby the reciprocating movement ofthe piston vibrates thev diaphragm and thus expands and contracts the Aclothesreceiving chamber, a receptacle containing washing water with which saidr` clothesreceiving chambercommunicates, and means for varying the volume ofthe water be'4 tween the piston and the diaphragm.

In testimony whereof, I havel signed my name to this specification. 1"

l, GEORGEC. GRAHAM. i 

